


Destroyer of Plants

by teracity



Category: Marvel (Movies), Thor (2011)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Lokitty, dog!Thor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-22
Updated: 2012-08-22
Packaged: 2017-11-12 15:27:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/492736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teracity/pseuds/teracity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For all the affection Thor received from the neighbours, Loki seemed determined to match it with frustration. No fewer than five gardens had been destroyed quite singlehandedly by Loki, with even the tightest security measures proving no match for the elusive cat. It had led to grumblings and the name of ‘Destroyer of Plants’, all of which seemed to please Loki very much if his contented purring as Jane admonished him for yet another act of mischief was any indicator.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Destroyer of Plants

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta-ed!

Once upon a time, there lived a girl named Jane Foster and her beloved Labrador retriever, Thor. More than a few people quirked an eyebrow at the name and in reply she always stated (slightly defensively) that when her parents had brought home the squirming furry ball of energy and adorableness, she was obsessed with Norse poetry.

Besides, the puppy had spent the first night with his muzzle pressed up against the window, bright blue eyes enraptured by the raging thunderstorm. Thor, she decided there and then.

Like most puppies, Thor was hyperactive and boisterous, always causing some trouble or another but getting away easily with soulful eyes. Unlike most puppies, Thor was  _still_ hyperactive and boisterous even when he had grown to his full size – unfortunately slightly larger than for the average Labrador retriever. His playful and friendly nature scared various visitors over the years as they found themselves quite suddenly bowled over by 90 pounds worth of muscle trying to lick every inch of their face.

Jane had given up trying to train Thor – it was much easier to warn her friends instead.

So it was that everyone loved Thor, most of all Jane. It was difficult to do otherwise when he was such a warm-natured dog. That one time he had dragged a young Darcy out of the raging blaze that was the Lewis’s house helped too.

Even the numerous wildlife and other domestic pets in the neighbourhood loved Thor – that is, until Loki. (Also known as That Cat, also known as the Destroyer of Plants, depending on whom you talked to)

Loki was a straggled stray with too prominent ribs under a ratty black coat that Darcy had brought back one fine summer day. Even though he looked half-starved, the bright green eyes still peered about with sharp attentiveness and the lithe body was tensed with no small amount of wariness.

“The poor dear was scrounging behind those bins at the Chinese restaurant and I just couldn’t leave him alone!” Darcy cooed when Jane sent her a questioning look. “My mom wouldn’t let me keep him and, well, I thought Thor would like a new friend.”

“Darcy. Thor is a dog, in case you haven’t noticed.” 

“Yes, but you know how he is with other animals! They all love him,” she smiled mischievously. “I even named him Loki.”

Jane considered the cat that was held out to her. Darcy knew how soft her heart was and it was true that Thor would love to have another furry friend. Besides, the cat had looked up at her then with eyes so full of intelligence and understanding that she could not say no.

“Alright, let’s see what we can do about getting him cleaned up and checked by the vet.” They had turned to walk into the house when Thor, having undoubtedly scented an unfamiliar presence, chose that moment to come bounding towards them. Jane hadn’t been worried: Thor had a rather unusual effect around other animals with even the most hostile cats tolerating his presence.

Of course, Loki had to be the exception.

The cat had swiftly turned his head to regard the approaching dog and, before either girl could do anything, had leapt straight out with claws fully extended, fur puffed out and hissing like a basket of snakes.

Thor, being the good-natured idiot of a dog he was, had merely looked up, head cocked to one side in puzzlement as a faceful of furious spitting black fur landed on him.

“THOR!”

“LOKI!”

Both girls yelled simultaneously, watching in horror as Loki clung to Thor’s muzzle, tail lashing jerkily as the claws drew blood. It must hurt but Thor merely lay down on the porch, using both his massive front paws to swipe at the cat.

Loki yowled, an unearthly noise that jerked both girls into action even as Thor succeeded in pinning down the cat. Before either could separate the two animals though, they realized that Thor’s tail was thumping against the tiled surface as he happily licked the still protesting cat that was now under his foreleg.

Jane was the first to reach out to her beloved pet, running fingers tentatively over the bloodied muzzle as Darcy proceeded to remove Loki as quickly as she could. When the cat was lifted away cautiously, Thor actually whined and sat up to follow. Loki glared back with what could only be malevolence but, as Jane had learnt long ago, nothing deterred Thor once he had his mind made up.

She sighed and turned to Darcy.

“I think we’re keeping him.”

After that disastrous first meeting, Loki grew no warmer towards Thor and Thor grew no colder towards Loki. At least the attempts at mauling had stopped, mostly because Loki seemed to have realized that no matter what he tried to do, the dog would not be deterred.

After being cleaned up and properly fed, Loki turned out to be a rather elegant creature that was different from most strays. His sleek fur was jet black, and his fine fluffy tail hinted at finer blood running in his veins. While he was usually cold and distant, there were times when Jane would find herself with a warm lapful of drowsing cat as she read on her couch. Loki was friendliest towards Darcy, who now visited even more frequently, but that was understandable.

They thought Loki was settling in and was content in his own way.

That is, until he had run away. Disappeared in the middle of the night like a shade. Jane felt sad – she was fond of Loki – but it was nothing compared to Thor.

He had whined and sulked and sniffed around every corner of the house, padding back to her on heavy paws with distraught eyes. Thor was remarkably fond of Loki despite the cat nearly mauling his eyes out. Jane had shook her head, explaining to Thor that cats had wandering natures and, besides, Loki had been a stray (she had her suspicions - Loki took to domestic life too easily.)

Thor had then looked at her with what was suspiciously close to accusation in his eyes (still that bright guileless blue) and pawed at the gate. Jane thought of her unfinished essays and sighed.

A walk might cheer Thor up and she needed a break anyway.

Less than 30 minutes later, she wondered why she ever thought that was a good idea. While Thor had been oddly quiet and docile when they headed out of the gate, he had suddenly paused, ears pricked forward and nose quivering with excitement. Next thing she knew, the leash was jerked out of her hand with such force she nearly fell face down on the pavement, and Thor was a gold blur streaking off into the woods.

“Thor! Thor, come here boy!” Darcy, along with around half the neighourhood, had joined her in the ensuing search, but thus far there was no sight of the dog. For a fairly large dog in a modest sized suburb, he was worryingly difficult to spot. Jane was starting to run various horrifying scenarios in her head, the stories she heard about too fast cars and vicious wild animals and -

“There he is!”

Jane whipped around to see a beloved and familiar shape emerging from behind the woods. She ran across the street, flinging her arms around her beloved pet before realizing he was not alone.

Thor was holding Loki – slightly bloodied, long tail curled up – with surprising gentleness in his muzzle. The green eyes were closed, and Jane feared for a second before realizing the small body was trembling slightly. Alive.

“Oh Thor,” she breathed into the soft fur around the dog’s neck, arms gripping tight. “Don’t ever  _ever_ do that again, please.”

He replied with a low whine that rumbled deep in his chest and through her, tail thumping slightly, but still holding Loki in his muzzle.

“Here,” Darcy reached out carefully to cradle Loki’s limp body in her hands. “I think we should get him to the vet.”

Thor was reluctant to leave the cat’s side, sitting anxiously in the waiting room as the vet examined Loki. Given the dog’s famous dislike of the vet and the clinic, it spoke volumes of his affection for the cat.

Fortunately, Loki was pronounced healthy, with mostly superficial wounds and a nastier one that needed stitches. Loki went back to the Fosters that day, and Thor returned to his usual friendly self.

That was the first and only time Loki disappeared for real.

There were some days Jane thought it might have been better if Thor hadn’t gone looking for him. For all the affection Thor received from the neighbours, Loki seemed determined to match it with frustration. No fewer than five gardens had been destroyed quite singlehandedly by Loki, with even the tightest security measures proving no match for the elusive cat. It had led to grumblings and the name of ‘Destroyer of Plants’, all of which seemed to please Loki very much if his contented purring as Jane admonished him for yet another act of mischief was any indication.

Sometimes Jane wondered where Thor had found Loki, and how the cat had obtained his wounds. Whatever happened, they both seemed to have forged a relationship of sorts. Though the cat still kept a distance from Thor, looking disdainfully down from the garden wall as the dog barked excitedly below him, there were times when she would catch them both napping together: Loki a tightly curled black ball pressed against Thor’s flank, with the dog’s legs loosely forming a protective circle around the cat.

Just as it should be.


End file.
